


The Christmas Caper

by Ultra



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Bookstores, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Shopping, Friendship, Gen, Help, New York City
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-02 16:45:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16790803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ultra/pseuds/Ultra
Summary: Jess has always needed someone to get him out of trouble...





	The Christmas Caper

_December 1993_

“Okay, we have fancy candles for Mia, the paperweight for Grandma, and really stylish socks for your dad,” said Lorelai, recapping the gifts bought so far. “What’s next, kid?” she asked the nine-year-old girl at her side.

Rory studied her carefully handwritten list, placing a careful tick next to her father’s entry on it. Then she went to the next line and read aloud.

“A book for Grandpa,” she said definitely.

“Right, book store.” Lorelai nodded, turning left and then right. “Hmm, gotta be a lot of book stores in New York, we just have to track one down. Hopefully a cheap one,” she added the last part in a low voice.

She had so wanted to do this, to bring her baby girl Christmas shopping in the big city, to walk the busy streets and see the lights and all. With the prices at some of the stores, on top of all the gas money she spent, Lorelai was seriously wishing they had shopped in Hartford instead. Still, it was worth it. Rory seemed to think just about everything was magical, and her kid being happy meant everything to Lorelai.

“Okay, book store,” she said suddenly as they turned the corner and found an enormous building towering in front of them. “With lots of discounts. This is the place for us!” she declared, ushering Rory inside.

They began to scour the shelves, looking for the history section or anything else that looked like it might be a Richard Gilmore topic. They hadn’t got far into their journey around the shelves when Lorelai realised she had completely lost Rory’s attention. Where books were concerned, her kid was pretty much an obsessive.

“Babe, come on, we’re shopping for Grandpa remember? I don’t think he-”

It was as far as she got before another kid suddenly came barrelling through the place with a store employee in hot pursuit. The boy in black sped around the other side of the shelves, knocking a few books flying as he tried to find the best way out and clearly failed as he ran straight into Lorelai instead.

“Hey, woah there, kid. What’s going on? Where are your parents?”

“Nowhere,” he said, trying to move by her. “Let me go.”

“Mommy?” said Rory, appearing from behind a sales rack.

Immediately he saw her, the boy stopped fighting and just stared into the startled blue eyes of Lorelai’s daughter.

“Hi,” she said, smiling widely. “Are you lost?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “I was just-”

He moved a little and a book came tumbling out from inside his jacket. Lorelai stooped to pick it up just as the store employee from before found them.

“There you are,” he said to the little boy, glaring hard. “You little-”

“Uh, excuse me, but you do not speak to him that way,” said Lorelai, her hand on the boy’s shoulder. “What exactly are you accusing him of? I mean, I asked him to go find this book for me. Oliver Twist, ironic,” she said, glancing down at the smirking kid, “and he brought it to me, so I can pay for it. What seems to be the problem, huh?”

As the employee floundered and began to apologise, Rory giggled.

“Your mom is pretty cool,” said the boy in a whisper. “What’s your name?”

“Rory. What’s yours?”

“I’m Jess.”

It was the start of a beautiful friendship.


End file.
